Chapter 32
Chapter 32:
Alden had been watching the man walking behind Helena for a while. He recognized him as “Dominick,” the name Helena had previously mentioned. The laughter he had heard during their phone call was unmistakably from this man.
Alden couldn’t shake a peculiar irritation, knowing that Helena and Dominick spent their days together.
Just as he was finally about to get a good look at Dominick, a delicate, appealing scent wafted through the air. Suddenly, Helena embraced him tightly, her hands clasping around his neck.
It was the first time she had voluntarily sought such proximity to him. Her dress cascaded over his legs, and her breath tickled his ear, igniting a strong, visceral reaction.
Softly, Helena murmured, “Play along for a moment—I don’t want my colleague to recognize you p>
Overwhelmed, Alden reacted instinctively, his arms enveloping her slender frame. He gently adjusted her, almost cradling her in his lap.
Xavier, driving the car, glanced back in surprise before quickly turning away, contemplating whether to leave the car to give them privacy. As they drove away from the parking lot, Helena’s tension eased. When she tried to distance herself, Alden didn’t let go, firmly holding onto her wrist.
She found Alden’s gaze deep and probing. “It’s been some time since you’ve had issues with intimacy, hasn’t it?” he asked.
A flush spread across Helena’s cheeks, leaving her at a loss for a straightforward response.
“I’ve scheduled a session. I’ll be seeing a therapist tomorrow,” she replied. She had kept from Alden the fact that his closeness and touch were what mitigated her fears of intimacy. Sharing that seemed too forward, almost like a subtle proposal. So, she held back from voicing it.
Her hand brushed against the pearl necklace in her bag, its cool surface snapping her back to the task at hand.
She passed the necklace to Alden swiftly. “Could you verify if this is genuine p>
Alden inspected it briefly. “It’s genuine.” He had, after all, personally reclaimed it from Rylan.
𝒆𝓷𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓬𝓴 𝒄𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓱𝒆𝓻𝑒:
Helena exhaled a deep sigh of relief. “I imagine Eleanor was terrified I’d really involve the police, prompting her to return it discreetly.” Alden’s lips curved into a smile at the triumph in her expression. “Nicely done p>
“By the way, was there a special reason you came to get me today p>
Helena looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, confused.
Alden responded smoothly, “I thought we’d celebrate your success in outsmarting the thief and retrieving the necklace Grandma gave you, so I planned a dinner out p>
He gently positioned the necklace back around her neck with a practiced touch.
From behind her, Alden’s voice, both rich and calm, reached her ears. “You don’t want to go p>
“No, that’s not it,” Helena responded quickly, her head shaking.
Still, something felt amiss. It almost seemed as though Alden had predicted the necklace would be returned tonight. Yet, Eleanor had escaped from the infirmary.
Trying not to question Alden’s intentions, Helena suggested, “Why don’t I pick up the tab this time? I still feel guilty about you missing Frida’s dinner last night because of me p>
“Alright,” Alden replied, his eyes slightly crinkling with a trace of a smile.
When they reached their destination, Xavier stepped out to open the car door for them. Only then did Helena realize the difference in their transportation; they were in a McLaren today, unlike the Chevrolet SUV they had used the previous times.
Intrigued, she turned to Xavier and inquired, “Is this car also from a client p>
Xavier’s pulse quickened, yet he replied truthfully, “No, this belongs to Mr. Wilson. He has a keen sense of smell. Apparently, an odor lingered in the last vehicle that we just couldn’t eliminate, so we opted for this one p>
A playful grin formed on Alden’s lips as he observed Helena’s reddening cheeks. “Perhaps a little stray cat found its way into the trash and then into the car,” he joked.
Helena felt a deep sense of embarrassment and remained silent.
In reality, there had been no cat. The last time, she had gone directly from the dump to Alden’s car, which explained the lingering scent…
Xavier had mentioned Alden’s sensitivity to smells, leaving Helena wondering why Alden hadn’t mentioned the odor himself at the time.